Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,047 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,170 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,292 in Malmo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 37% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Malmo is 53% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$13.48 SEK 127

-12.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$85.6 SEK 804

-51.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$12.67 SEK 119

-16.02%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.05 SEK 47.48

-30.30%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$26.17

$2.69 SEK 25.24

-43.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$2.15 SEK 20.21

-54.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$8.00 SEK 75.2

-63.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$8.20 SEK 77.1

-45.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.67 SEK 15.72

-17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.11 SEK 29.19

-39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.61 SEK 33.93

-54.57%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$4.42 SEK 41.49

-43.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$12.05 SEK 113

-30.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$12.78 SEK 120

-34.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$27.50 SEK 258

-60.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.27 SEK 30.69

-20.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.78 SEK 26.12

-47.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.24 SEK 30.45

-41.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$4.79 SEK 44.97

-56.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.83 SEK 17.19

-2.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.95 SEK 18.34

12.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.57 SEK 24.14

-59.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.34 SEK 12.58

-19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$8.13 SEK 76.4

-49.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$12.10 SEK 114

-14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.53 SEK 23.75

-32.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.66 SEK 24.96

-3.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$3.36 SEK 31.58

-84.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$69.3 SEK 651

-61.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$6.44 SEK 60.5

-49.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.64 SEK 24.80

-5.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$56.2 SEK 528

-94.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.92 SEK 18.04

-31.77%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$33.1K SEK 310.7K

-8.46%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$33.8K SEK 317.4K

-30.67%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.9 MX$1,436

$154 SEK 1,442

-46.04%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.22 MX$385

$30.36 SEK 285

-26.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$40.38 SEK 379

-27.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$38.30 SEK 360

34.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.78 SEK 223

-22.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$17.81 SEK 167

-71.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$201 MX$3,480

$162 SEK 1,518

24.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$4,876 SEK 45.8K

6.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$105 SEK 983

-64.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$45.70 SEK 429

-12.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$124 SEK 1,166

-36.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$165 SEK 1,552

-47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$932 SEK 8,751

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$773 SEK 7,264

-39.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,721 SEK 16.2K

-4.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,343 SEK 12.6K

-9.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,311 SEK 40.5K

-8.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$3,360 SEK 31.6K

93.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

-80.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.86

134.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $932 in Malmo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 405% higher in Malmo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $86.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $410 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 58% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,071 in Malmo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $162 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Malmo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Malmo at $2,047. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $2,047 in Malmo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.